still essential and rain ##ier diverted some of his squadron eastward ##s to china . a number of merchant ships had gathered at bombay in the spring of 1797 in preparation for the trip to macau to load trade goods and join the china fleet . to escort this force , rain ##ier provided the 40 @ - @ gun frigate hms sy ##bill ##e , captured from the french at the battle of my ##kon ##os in 1794 , and the 50 @ - @ gun hms cent ##uri ##on , which sailed with the convoy in july , taking passage through the straits of malacca , joined there by the ships of the line hms victorious and hms trident and the 32 @ - @ gun
still essential and rainier diverted some of his squadron eastwards to china. a number of merchant ships had gathered at bombay in the spring of 1797 in preparation for the trip to macau to load trade goods and join the china fleet. to escort this force, rainier provided the 40 @ - @ gun frigate hms sybille, captured from the french at the battle of mykonos in 1794, and the 50 @ - @ gun hms centurion, which sailed with the convoy in july, taking passage through the straits of malacca, joined there by the ships of the line hms victorious and hms trident and the 32 @ - @ gun